Shabazz Napier stars as UConn reaches Final Four with 60-54 win over Michigan State

NEW YORK — There he was, at center court, dribbling the ball. Shabazz Napier smiled and pumped his fist as the final two seconds ticked away to put Connecticut in the Final Four. Yet he wouldn't give the ball up. He hugged teammates with it cradled under his left arm. Went through the postgame handshake line with it.

Each stop along the victory route inside of Madison Square Garden, the ball went with Napier.

Dribbling it while he did his postgame interview with CBS.

Holding it on the podium, while Connecticut was presented with the trophy for winning the East Regional — a 60-54 victory over Michigan State in the Elite Eight — and walking around the floor with it. When his mother, Carmen Velasquez, came out of the stands with tears in her eyes, he shifted the ball to his right side to give her a hug.

"Wow," he said after the embrace.

"Priceless," she responded, petting the ball.

Napier then took a 360-degree turn, drinking in what surrounded him: A still-packed Garden of roaring Connecticut fans and celebrating the program's fifth Final Four appearance. He was the catalyst. The guy who spurred his team to within 80 minutes of a fourth national championship with another dazzling performance: 25 points, six rebounds, four assists and one magical afternoon which put him in the company of UConn's elite.

"These kids would follow him across the desert for a drink of water," former Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun said on the floor amidst the celebration. "Honestly. Shabazz is one of the great leaders — along with Kemba (Walker) and a few of the other guys we've had. I sat with Richard Hamilton during the game and he said, 'Coach, how special is he?' And I said, 'He's Kemba-special.' He's one of the great guards we've had."

Last season, because of UConn's academic sanctions, the Huskies were barred from postseason play. Napier and the rest of his teammates refused to watch any NCAA Tournament game. It was far too painful to know what they were missing out on. They passed the time, waiting for this season to begin.

A week ago, it looked as if their return would be short-lived. The Huskies trailed Saint Joseph's late in the game before pushing the Hawks to overtime and escaping. Then they put Villanova in a sleeper-hold to advance to the Garden, where they dispatched with Iowa State to get to Sunday.

"We weren't just playing for a championship, we were playing for each other," teammate Niels Giffey said.

And Shabazz was their leader.

When the Huskies opened the second half down four after leading by as many as 10 in the first half, it was Napier who orchestrated the comeback. He scored 17 of his points in the second half, counter-balancing the 22 points from Spartans guard Gary Harris. Every big shot? Napier. Every important pass? Napier. Every big play — like the fifth foul he drew on Michigan State's Keith Appling on a 3-point shot with 31 seconds left in a two-point game?

Napier.

"Guys believe," Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie said. "They didn't get out of their roles and they believe in each other."

Because Napier was the constant. Throughout this season, he hit the big shots and made the big plays to keep the Huskies season alive. While he won a national title as a freshman four years ago, he lost a year last season — and wanted to ensure that his final act in a Connecticut uniform would be remembered.

"He's hungry," Velasquez said later. "He wanted this. He wanted to take us to the Final Four."

So there was Napier, still with the ball in hand on the podium after being named the Most Outstanding Player of the regional. Connecticut roared again as his name was called and he smiled and gave a thumbs up. The ball was still under his right arm as he walked off the podium. He danced a little bit and sang the words to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" and clutched the ball to his chest.